A SECRET Brexit no-deal planning document has been photographed in the hands of a Government official walking into a Whitehall meeting.

The document reveals Treasury officials have been holding high-level crisis talks in preparation for a no-deal Brexit.

It outlines the department’s contingency planning programme which has been dubbed “Operation Yellowhammer”.

The paper, which is just part of the document, was being carried openly in a transparent plastic sleeve.

It warns Government departments will have to make cuts to prepare for leaving the EU next March without a striking a trade deal and acknowledges the importance of maintaining “confidence in the event of contingency plans being triggered – particularly important for financial services”.

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The document also reveals the crisis planning is being overseen by the Civil Contingencies Secretariat, the Government body usually responsible for coping with emergencies such as floods and disease outbreaks.

And the section which can be seen reads: “This meeting will consider progress on the Government’s plans for instigating the immediate impacts of a No Deal Brexit.

“The Civil Contingencies Secretariat held a two day workshop last week to review departments’ plans, assumptions, interdependencies and next steps.”

The Operation Yellowhammer document (Image: SKY)

Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab (Image: GETTY)

Under the heading HMT Objectives it says: “Emphasise the importance of building a XWH communications architecture that can help maintain confidence in the event of contingency plans being triggered - particularly important for financial services.

“Explain that departments should be raising Yellowhammer costs through the normal channels - through their spending teams for in-year pressures and in their bids for the 19/20 Brexit allocations for spending in that year. Their first call should be internal reprioritisation.

“…… the need for consistent planning assumptions across plans ……… ……… and rail access to the EU.

“Remind departments of the need to consider the financial ……… commercial firms that play a role in their contingency plans.”

Dominic Raab and Michel Barnier (Image: GETTY)

Operation Yellowhammer’s existence emerged amid an atmosphere of chaos surrounding the Government’s position on Brexit.

Theresa May’s Chequers proposals appear dead in the water with critics from all sides insisting there is no way the plan can work.

Tory Brexiteers who oppose the Chequers blueprint are planning a series of detailed announcements intended to show they have a viable alternative.

The all-out assault on Mrs May's plan will begin over the weekend with the publication of a series of written papers outlining a post-Brexit vision for trade, migration, the crucial Northern Ireland border question and other issues such agriculture and fishing.

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Sources said the idea was not to put pressure directly on Mrs May to trigger some kind of leadership coup but it looks like a well thought-out move calculated to force the Prime Minister to ditch Chequers.

EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier told MPs on Monday that the Chequers plan had no chance of being adopted by Brussels.